Secularism & ‘Privatization’ of Religion Are Denounced
At Vatican Meeting

American Atheists, AANews, #358, 29 November 1997

It has been a religious right cant that Hollywood, gays, teachers or some
other group "hates" America and its basic institutions; but the dubious award
of bashing fundamental American instutions may now be up for grabs in an
unlikely contest pitting the Vatican and Korean cult leader Rev. Sun Myung
Moon of the Unification Church against each other.

On Thursday at a gathering of hundreds of bishops from North and Latin
America held in Rome, speakers took turns denouncing American individualism
and calling for a new effort to "revitalize" the church.

Bishop Donald W. Wuerl of Pittsburg told fellow prelates that in the United
States, "Heavy emphasis on the individual and his or her rights has greatly
eroded the concept of the common good and its ability to call people to
something beyond themselves." He went on to denounce what he called "the
privatization of religion and morality" where "Both were seen by many as
matters of purely personal and private concern, such as a hobby or an
appreciation of music, but without a proper role in the public arena."

Although the Roman Catholic Church has lately attempted to position itself
as a voice for democracy and pluralism, particularly in Latin America, the
prelates applauded another anti-democratic rant from Monsignor Dennis
Schnurr, general secretary of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. He
told the gathering, "In our democracy, divergent political viewpoints are more
often resolved by a facile reliance on the rule of the majority than by a
genuine discernment of what is best for the common good." Schnurr singled out
"unspeakable crimes," such as abortion and physician-assisted suicide which
are "embraced in the name of individual rights and democracy."

Another topic singled out for intense criticism was the secular atmopshere
in the United States. Despite opening its doors to political refugees,
especially from Latin America, that was not enough for Cardinal Adam Maida,
Archbishop of Detroit. He lamented, "We in the North are constantly seduced
by the false voice of freedom that calls for individual choice, even to the
point of a so-called 'right to die.' " A similar homile was delivered by
Archbishop Francis E. George of Chicago, who warned that immigrants leaving
Latin America for the social mobility and freedom found in the United States,
were in danger of being seduced by a more secular and prosperous lifestyle.
"Basically, an immigant community has one generation to adapt its practice of
Catholic faith to a new cultural situation before they lose faith and become
secularized," he said.

A Shift In Vatican Strategy

With the nominal atheism of the former Soviet Union now no longer a concern,
the Vatican is talking less about "freedom" and "rights" -- as it did in the
Perestroika era, particularly in regard to Eastern Europe -- and instead
emphasizing a more medieval, even feudal vision of the relationship between
clerical authority, civil leadership and individuals. The Rome meeting, which
opened on November 16 and concludes on December 12, was called by Pope John
Paul II in order to instill "renewed missionary zeal" and deal with the revolt
of many Roman Catholics who already oppose the church's teachings on abortion,
birth control, divorce and celebacy for priests. Yesterday's Washington Post
newspaper observed that the prelates are particuarly concerned with American
society which, they say, has become "increasingly secular and focused on the
individual."

"One of the main themes raised by U.S. bishops," added the Post, "is their
concern with what they view as the secularization of American society." The
paper noted that at the Rome conference, "Little of the debate has
specifically addressed the disillusionment of many American Catholics in the
Church over its stands on social and sexual issues. When it did touch on
these subjects, the churchmen again placed blame on an overemphasis on the
individual."

Aside from underscoring the Vatican's problematic relationship with
democracy and individualism, other concerns at the Rome synod suggest similar
problems with the issue of religious liberty. The Vatican has joined with
American evanelicals and fundamentalists in supporting the so-called Freedom
From Religious Persecution Act, which would link U.S. foreign policy with
domestic issues in nations like China, and most of the Arab regimes in the
Middle East. FFRPA is directed mainly at nations which have taken steps to
resist or regulate foreign missionary efforts. While the Vatican has
expressed enthusiasm for the proposed legislation, it is nevertheless worried
about the erosion of its own share in the "believer marketplace," especially
in Latin America. The Post noted that for the Rome meeting, "one of the most
troubling problems is the growing presence of non-Catholic evangelical sects,
whose popularity has been changing the religious fabric of Latin America,
historically a Catholic domain."

Dissent, Competition

Called by Pope John Paul II, the Rome synod is basically a strategy session
to attempt to reverse the church's declining fortunes in North America and
much of Latin America. The only bright spot in the hemisphere is Cuba, where
the Pontiff is scheduled to visit and hold an unprecedented series of masses
and prayer rallies and even a meeting with President Fidel Castro. The small
communist enclave may be an opportunity for the Vatican to gain"exclusive
rights" as the only officially recognized religion.

In much of the hemisphere, though, the church is facing stiff competition
from aggressive Protestant sects, Mormon missionaries, and even new age cults.
As in the U.S., many believers are seeking a "do it yourself" kind of
spirituality which often eschews the orthodox dogmatic and organizational
rigidity which has characterized the Catholic Church for centuries. In
addition, church fortunes may be on the wane due to a different sort of
fortune; the Latin American economic "mini-boom" which is seeing steady rates
of financial growth throughout the sector is gradually fostering a consumer-
oriented lifestyle at odds with many church teachings.

The situation is equally gloomy in the United States; despite claims to a
robust membership, the church is faced with disagreement within its own flock
over issues like womens' rights, abortion, birth control, euthanasia and
doctrinal belief. American bishops are uneasy even over the call to return to
"fish Fridays," where members would abstain from consuming meat as a protest
over abortion. Some bishops suggest that the policy be in the form of a
"recommendation" rather than a requirement, since few Roman Catholics would
probably choose to follow such a rule anyway.

(Thanks to Lowell and Nancy McFarland for info used in this story -- ed.